I realized this week I’ve been stuck in a rut. By this I mean following a set routine without stepping back and assessing how it is working for me. To be fair, with the restrictions of the pandemic, it is no surprise. But, the routine is something I did to myself. I have choices how to spend my time even in the pandemic. Obviously more limited, but choices are available.
I got this insight during a phone call with my coach friend Asim at 7am on Thursday morning. It had been an extremely busy week and as I looked ahead at my calendar, I didn’t know how I was going to get a walk or workout in. My mood dropped and I started feeling resentful. My victim mentality was taking over.
I could have wallowed in self-pity
Asim called me and said he was out on a walk with his dog. My immediate reaction was ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ Rather than wallow in self-pity, I jumped up, got my coat on and headed out the door.
Even though it was dark, it felt liberating. It was a cold dry morning and I could see the fog laying in the valley below our home, beautiful. As I walked down the hill, the sun began rising over the mountains. Wow, I had been missing things like this everyday!
My call with Asim was fabulous, we had lots to catch up on and it left me feeling exhilarated and ready for the day ahead. In truth, I had considered calling Asim and postponing our call because I was so busy. That would have been a huge mistake.
I Got Myself Stuck In A Rut
As I reflect on this, two things come to mind. I had put myself into a rut. Following the same pattern each day without stepping back and assessing how well it was serving me. I also started down the path of trading off refreshing things to create more time for work. This is a dangerous path.
As we come to the end of the year, I invite you to reflect on the routine you’ve created for yourself. How well is it serving you? Is it time to change it up and, like me, be inspired by the sunrise to create a new routine?
If you are interested in changing things up, here’s another opportunity. I will be starting a small Leadership Mastery Group in January. For $95 a month you will learn how to take your leadership game to the next level with a group of other leaders. You can sign up to learn more below.